The present invention relates to a multi-shot punch perforator for use in punching holes in tubing within a well bore, and a hydraulic control valve for use therewith.
In oil and gas drilling operations, it is common practice to use a wireline for raising and lowering tools into the well bore. Specifically, this is achieved by attaching a toolstring to the end of a reel of a single strand or braided wire. By reeling out the wire, the toolstring may be lowered to the desired location within the well. The toolstring consists of a plurality of individual tools connected together to form a working unit. These tools may include data-retrieving devices and devices for performing other functions with respect to the well bore tubing, including punching openings in the tubing for various purposes including accessing lateral bores extending from the vertical well bore into which the toolstring is inserted.
In applications wherein punching is to be performed, prior art devices used for this purpose require removal from the well bore after each punching operation to ready the punching device for the next operation thereof. This constitutes a cumbersome and time-consuming operation.
The present invention provides a multi-shot punch perforator mechanism, and hydraulic control valve for use in activating the same, wherein multiple punching operations may be performed without requiring removal of the punch perforator from the well bore.
A fluid control mechanism is provided in accordance with the invention that selectively controls opposed directional movement of a piston. This mechanism may be used with the punch perforator in accordance with the invention. Specifically, the piston thereof is used to activate the punch of the punch perforator.
The piston is adapted for linear movement in opposed directions within the housing. A first valve is provided for selectively metering fluid to a first side of the piston to move the piston linearly within the housing in a first direction, and to selectively prevent fluid flow to the first side of the piston to permit the piston to move linearly within the housing in a second direction opposed to the first direction. A second valve is provided for preventing fluid flow to a second side of the piston opposite the first side thereof during metering of fluid flow to the first side of the piston by the first valve, and for metering fluid flow to the second side of the piston when the fluid flow to the first side of the piston is prevented by the first valve to move the piston in the second direction.
With this fluid control valve mechanism, the fluid flow is metered in a common direction by the first valve and by the second valve selectively to the first side of the piston and to the second side of the piston, respectively.
The housing is tubular and the fluid flow is metered by the first valve through an annular fluid passage within this housing. The second fluid flow is metered by the second valve through a tubular fluid passage extending linearly through the annular fluid passage.
The first and second valves may be positioned within the housing at a location remote from the piston and opposite the first side thereof.
The first valve and the second valve are adapted for linear movement between open and closed positions within the housing in response to selected pressure of fluid flow within the housing.
The fluid flow may be of a liquid or gas.
The housing of the mechanism may be positioned within a well bore.
The mechanism, including the housing thereof, may be a component of a toolstring.
The perforator apparatus for punching holes in tubing within a well bore includes a punch mounted within a housing adapted for positioning within tubing of the well bore. An opening is provided in the housing that is aligned with the punch. Hydraulic control means within the housing are provided for selectively moving the punch through the opening and into punching contact with the tubing to punch a hole therein. Thereafter, the hydraulic control means returns the punch to the position within the housing. In this manner, the punch may be operated to perform repeated punching operations without requiring removal of the mechanism from the well bore and associated tubing.
The hydraulically controlled means of the perforator apparatus may include a movable ram connected to the punch to transfer force to the punch sufficient to punch the hole in the tubing.
This hydraulically controlled means may further include a hydraulic control valve for controlling movement of the ram relative to the punch.
The ram is mounted within the housing for selective linear movement therein toward and away from the punch by the hydraulic control valve.
Means are provided for preventing movement of the housing within the tubing during punching thereof by the punch.
The punch may be retained in a holder positioned on a tapered track connected to the ram.
In operation of the perforator apparatus, the ram during selective linear movement thereof away from the punch causes the tapered track to correspondingly move to thereby extend the punch through the opening into punching engagement with the tubing. Thereafter, the ram during selective linear movement thereof toward the punch causes the tapered track to correspondingly move to thereby retract the punch back through the opening and into the housing. In this manner, the punch is positioned and ready for additional punching operations.
The hydraulic control valve may operate at least one piston acting on the ram to impart the movement to the ram relative to the punch.
The means for preventing movement of the housing during the punching operation may include a plurality of hydraulically operated anchoring slips that operate to engage the tubing during punching thereof by the punch and thereafter disengage from the tubing upon completion of the punching operation.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the perforator apparatus may include a punch mounted within a housing adapted for positioning within tubing of the well bore, an opening in the housing aligned with the punch, and hydraulically controlled means within the housing for selectively moving the punch through the opening and into punching contact with the tubing to punch a hole therein, and thereafter returning the punch to the position within the housing. The hydraulically controlled means may include a piston adapted for linearly movement in opposed directions within the housing. A first valve is provided for selectively metering liquid flow to a first side of the piston to move the piston linearly within the housing in a first direction, and to selectively prevent liquid flow to the first side of the piston to permit the piston to move linearly within the housing in a second direction opposed to the first direction. A second valve may be provided for preventing liquid flow to a second side of the piston opposite the first side thereof during metering of fluid flow to the first side of the piston by the first valve, and for metering liquid flow to the second side of the piston when the liquid flow to the first side of the piston is prevented by a first valve to move the piston in the second direction.
Perforator apparatus may include metering of the liquid flow in a common direction by the first valve and by the second valve selectively to the first side of the piston and to the second side of the piston, respectively.
The housing of the perforator apparatus is tubular and the liquid flow is metered by the first valve through an annular liquid passage within the housing, and the second liquid flow is metered by the second valve through a tubular liquid passage extending linearly through the annular fluid passage.
The first valve and the second valve may be positioned within the housing at a location remote from the piston and opposite the first side thereof.
The first valve and the second valve are adapted for linear movement between opened and closed positions within the housing in response to selected pressure of liquid flow within the housing.